Five checks to make before you even read the clauses
Before going into detail, check the elements on which everything else depends: the exact identity of the employer, the language that prevails, the complete version of the document, the presence of the annexes it mentions and the deadline for replying. A contract with a missing page, or one that refers to rules you are not shown, cannot be assessed seriously.
Then ask whether this text is final or still negotiable, and in what form to send your comments. An answer such as “this is the standard template” does not stop you from asking questions. Note the date you received it and do not let anyone impose an artificially short deadline: a proper review takes a few days.
Offer, correspondence and contract: comparing line by line
Take the advert, the emails and your interview notes and lay them next to the contract. The job title, the location, the reporting line, the pay, the benefits and the start date must agree. Each gap deserves a written question: is it simply different wording, or has a commitment changed?
Anything promised verbally that does not appear in the text must either be added or confirmed in an amendment. This applies to housing, a relocation bonus, a return flight or training. A promise with no written trace is very hard to enforce later, especially before a foreign court.
- Employer: registered name, address, country of registration
- Job: title, duties, usual place of work
- Pay: amount, currency, frequency, variable elements
- Term: fixed-term or open-ended, start date
- Annexes: staff rules, pay scales, travel policy
Pay: gross, net, currency and what can vary
A salary quoted without detail may mean a gross figure before deductions, a net figure after them, an annual or monthly sum, paid in local currency or in a foreign one. Ask for the contract to state the basis, the payment frequency, the currency and the way bonuses are calculated. Have it explained how overtime is counted or compensated.
Look also for whatever can reduce your take-home pay: deductions for housing or transport, repayable advances, visa costs to be refunded if you leave early. Then compare with the cost of living where you will work. An attractive figure may hide a high fixed outlay, or pay that is partly conditional on targets.
Working time, leave and travel: the clauses that weigh on daily life
Weekly hours, night or weekend work, on-call duty, local public holidays and paid leave vary greatly from one country to another. The contract should set out the principle, and local law often fixes the limits. Ask how leave builds up, when it can be taken and what happens to unused days.
Business travel is another source of surprises: how often, for how long, who pays expenses and whether travel time counts. A broad mobility clause may allow the employer to move you elsewhere. Ask what it covers, with what notice, and whether you can refuse without any effect on your job.
Probation, provided housing and benefits in kind
The probation period has a length and termination rules that depend on local law. Read who can end it, with what notice, and whether the costs you have incurred remain yours to bear. If the contract provides housing, check who holds the lease, what happens when the contract ends and whether anything is deducted from your pay.
Apply the same scrutiny to a car, health insurance or school fees for children: who pays, until when and on what conditions? Ask for a written description of each benefit. A benefit mentioned in the offer but missing from the contract is not guaranteed, and a benefit tied to the role can disappear if you change position.
Exit clauses: notice, non-compete and repayment of costs
Exit provisions deserve the closest reading, because they only matter when the relationship goes wrong. Find the notice period for each side, the grounds for immediate dismissal, any severance and the clauses that bind you after the contract ends: non-compete, confidentiality and a ban on approaching clients.
Be especially careful with repayment clauses: recruitment, visa, training or travel costs charged to you if you leave before a given date. Their validity depends on the governing law. Ask for the amount, the duration and any reduction over time, and have the clause checked before you accept it.
Governing law, language of the text and settling disputes
A contract may be governed by the law of the country where you work, by that of the employer’s head office, or include a clause naming a court or arbitration. These choices decide where and how you can act in a dispute. Ask which law applies, which court has jurisdiction and whether an official translation exists.
If the contract is written in a language you do not master well, do not sign on the strength of a summary from the employer. Have it translated by an independent translator, or read by a lawyer. Finally, check with the labour inspectorate or the competent body in that country which minimum rights apply, whatever the contract says.
When and how to get a review: professionals, bodies and limits
A contract with high stakes, complex pay, a secondment or repayment clauses justifies the opinion of a lawyer or employment law specialist in the country concerned. European information sites such as Your Europe or EURES set out basic rights within the Union, and bodies such as Acas in the United Kingdom publish guides on contracts.
These resources help you ask the right questions, without replacing advice tailored to your file. Send the professional the full text, the annexes and the original offer, along with a list of your doubts. Sign only after you have the employer’s written answers, and keep a copy signed by both parties.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ask for changes to a foreign employment contract?
Yes, provided the employer is willing to negotiate. Put your requests in writing, point by point, explaining what bothers you and what you propose. A serious employer will agree to clarify or to add an amendment. A refusal to discuss anything in a binding contract is information you should take into account.
What should I do if the contract is in a language I do not master?
Do not sign on the basis of an oral summary. Ask whether a version in a language you understand exists and which one prevails in a dispute. Failing that, have the full text translated by an independent translator or read by a lawyer, and keep both versions.
Can a signed contract be challenged if the terms differ from the offer?
It depends on the governing law and the evidence you hold. Keep the advert, the emails and the messages that show what you were promised, then turn to the labour inspectorate, a union or a local lawyer. It is far better to obtain the correction before signing than to try to have it recognised afterwards.
Should I sign before I have the visa or work permit?
Often a job offer or a conditional contract is required to file the application. Check then that the text covers what happens if the permit is refused or delayed, and that you owe no repayment in that case. Do not leave your current job before the final decision.